Transfusion equipment



May 10, 1955 G. R. RYAN TRANSFUSION EQUIPMENT Filed July 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

May 10, 1955 G. R. RYAN 2,707,953

TRANSFUSION EQUIPMENT Filed July 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \mmmw IN V EN TOR.

TRANSFUION EQUIPMENT George R. Ryan, Waukegan Township, Lake County, Ill., assignor to Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, 1th, a corporation of Illinois Application July 15, 1952, Serial No. 298,927

12 Claims. (Cl. 128-414) This invention relates generally to a device for use in making transfusions, collecting blood and fluids or the like, and more particularly to a device for clamping a flexible tubing and a hollow needle assembly for use in connection with the transfer of fluids to or from a con tainer.

The equipment now available for camping a length of flexible tubing having an attached hollow needle is diificult to manipulate and use.

it is therefore an object of this invention to provide means for securely holding a hollow needle having a length of flexible tubing attached which facilitates the insertion and withdrawal of the needle.

"t is also an object of this invention to provide means for holding a flexible tube and hypodermic needle which secures the tube and needle as a unitary structure during insertion and withdrawal of the needle from a container or the like and which thereafter can be readily disengaged from the needle and tubing.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for controlling the flow of fluid through a flexible tube.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combined needle holder and valve means for flexible tubing which can be controlled by a single digit of the operators hand.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description and claims to follow.

in the drawings accompanying the specification one embodiment of the invention is shown, for the purpose of illustration, but it should be understood that other modifications are Within the scope of the present invention which is defined in the claims appended hereto.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan view of the needle and tube clamp showing the needle and attached tubing positioned within the holder in closed position.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view along the line 2-2 in Figure l and showing the means for retaining the needle within the holder.

Figure 3 is a verticalsectional View along the line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the means for retaining the regulating means within the body of the holder.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view along the line 4-4 ot Figure 1 showing the means for controlling the flow of fluid through the tubing.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the clamp along the line 5-5 of Figure 1 with the needle and tubing substantially in elevation.

Figure 6 is an end view of the needle and tube clamp in open position.

Figure 7 is an end view of the needle and tube clamp in closed position.

Figure 8 is a perspective of the holder shown in Figure l with the parts thereof in disassembled relationship.

Figure 9 is a modified form of regulating means.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention herein described is shown applied to a length of flexible tubing it) having one end attached to a needle 11 of Zjidlhbii Federated May it Iii/ '55 suitable gauge for penetrating the closure of a sterile fluid container used for the collection of blood. The other end of the tubing may have secured thereto a needle suitable for intravenous penetration.

Engaging the hub 13 of the needle 11 and substantially enclosing the tubing is the needle holder and tubin valve means 1% operable to control the flow of fluid through the tubing 11) and facilitating the insertion and withdrawal of. the needle 11 from the closure of a fluid container.

The needle holder and valve means 14- compriscs generally a rectangular body member 15 having a longitudinal slot 16 extending inwardly from one side thereof to about the center of the body member generally rectangular in shape and extending the entire length of the said body member 15. The longitudinal slot 16 is sufiiciently Wide to permit the tubing 1a) to fit within the slot 16 without forcefully engaging the sides of the slot. The lower end of slot 16 is enlarged to provide a suitable receiving chamber 17 accommodating the hub 13 of the needle 11.

Extending transversely through the body member 15 at a point adjacent the lower end of the slot 16 and the chamber 17 is a generally U-shaped passage 18 comprised of a pair of rectangular guide grooves 19 and 20 in communication with slot 16 and chamber 17 respectively and which are connected by a transverse groove 21 which extends parallel to the slot 16 and is spaced outwardly therefrom. Intermediate the grooves 12 and 20 and disposed on the inner surface of the groove 21 is a stop groove 22 extending inwardly from the far side of the body member 15. The length of groove 22 is determined so that when the regulating means 23 which is accommodated in the U-shaped passage is moved to its extreme outwardly position the inner end of the regulating means 23 clears the slot 16, thereby leaving rectangular slot 16 completely unobstructed.

The generally U-shaped regulating means 23 which cooperates with the body member 15 and is adapted to be slidably accommodated in the U-shaped passage 18 of the body member 15 is substantially rectangular in plan, somewhat longer than the width of the body member 15 and is comprised of an oblong rectangular body section 24, depending side members 25, 26 and a depending end member 27 which connects the side members 25, 26 and the body section 24, also rectangular in cross section. The depending side members 25, 26 are provided with gradually tapering cam surfaces 23, 29 which are proportioned so as to reciprocate in grooves 19 and 20 respectively and extend into slot 16 and chamber 17 to substantially obstruct slot 16 and chamber 17 when the regulating means 23 is in at least one position of adjustment and in at least one other position of adjustment leaving the said slot 16 and chamber 17 unobstructed. Adjacent the end of the body section 24 of the regulating means 23 and opposite the end member 27 there is provided a retaining means 30 for securing therein a depending pin 31 which rides in the stop groove 22 when the regulating means 23 is reciprocated, thereby preventing the regulating means 23 becoming completely disengaged from the body member 15.

In assembling the needle holder and tubing valve means or clamp 14, the regulating means 23 is inserted into the U-shaped passage in the body member 15 until the retaining means 36 in which the depending pin 31 is secured extends beyond the body member 15. The pin 31 is then inserted into the retaining means 39 and firmly secured therein. In this manner the regulating means 23 is retained within the U-shaped passage in body member 15 and cannot be accidentally separated. Other means may be provided for retaining the regulating means 23 in place, as by providing an integral projection on the end of the body section 24 which may be bent downwardly after the regulating means 23 is in position within the body member 15 or by providing an integral projection which may be sprung into groove 22 by utilizing the inherent elasticity of the plastic.

In order to apply the needle holder and tubing valve means to an assembled tubing and needle having a grooved hub 13 at the upper end thereof, the regulating means 23 of the body member 15 is moved outwardly until the longitudinal slot 16 is completely unobstructed.

The tubing having the needle secured to the end thereof is then laid within the slot 16 and the hub receiving chamber 17 of the body member 15. The grooved hub 13 of the needle is then seated within the chamber 17 by sliding the body member 15 downwardly over the hub 13 of the needle. The regulating means 23 is then moved inwardly by applying slight pressure with the forefinger or thumb of the operators hand. The movement of the regulating means 23 causes the forward edges of the cam 29 to come into engagement with the groove in the hub 13 of the needle 11 and simultaneously engages at least one of the side walls of the said groove, thereby substantially me i venting longitudinal or lateral movement of the needle within the body member 15. In this way the needle is securely held and may be inserted into or withdrawn from a rubber stoppered container with a minimum of effort.

In the operation of the combined needle clamp and tubing valve means disclosed herein after it has been assembled in operating position on the needle and tubing, the regulating member 23 is moved inwardly by the thumb or forefinger of the operator to its full extent as shown in Figure 7 so as to securely clamp the needle and v compress the tubing against the lower surface of longitudinal slot 16 until the tubing is completely closed, thereby preventing the fiow of fluid through the needle and tubing. The operator while holding the combined clamp and valve means in the palm and forefingers of one hand then pierces the rubber stopper of a blood collecting bottle or the like. To permit the flow of fluid through the tubing and needle, the regulating means 23 is moved outwardly to any desired position of adjustment by applying slight pressure to the end thereof with the thumb or forefinger of the hand of the operator in which the clamp is held. The regulating means 23 may be maintained at any intermediate position of adjustment between the fully open or fully closed position, since the frictional resistance between the cam surfaces 28 and 29 and the needle and tubing holds the regulating means in any position of adjustment. Movement of the regulating means 23 to the tubing compressing or closed position is limited by having the end member 27 coming into engagement with the side of the body member 15 and movement in the opposite direction or fully open position is limited by the stop pin 31 abutting the end of the stop groove 22. When the desired volume of fluid has been collected or administered, the operator again applies pressure to the outer end of regulating means 23 to force the regulating means 23 inwardly and compress the tubing so as to completely interrupt the flow of fluid through the tubing. The needle can then be withdrawn from the rubber stoppered' container or the like without loss of fluid by holding the clamp means within the palm and forefinger of one hand and pulling upwardly. To remove the clamp from the needle and tubing the operator merely withdraws the regulating means 23 to its extreme open position leaving the slot 16 completely unobstructed and then removes the clamp merely by pushing the tubing and needle assembly upwardly and away from the clamp. It will be observed that at no time is it necessary for the operators hands to come in contact with the needle or hub, thereby greatly reducing the possibility of the operator becoming infected with hepatitis or similar infectious disease carried by blood.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein provides an improved needle clamp and tubing valve means which is simple to operate, economical in construction, and capable of being used for an indefinite period since it can be transferred from one needle assembly to another without difficulty or damage to the clamp or needle assembly.

It should also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the needle clamp and tubing valve means disclosed herein can be made of plastic, metal, or any material which has sufficient strength to withstand the frictional wear inherent in the use thereof. It should also be apparent that one member of the assembly may be constructed of plastic and the other of metal should this be found desirable. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, however, it has been found desirable to construct the needle clamp and tubing valve means of styrene since this material has the necessary strength to withstand repeated use.

The present invention may also assume other physical embodiments without departing from the broad scope of the invention. Thus, for example, the body section 24 of the regulating means 23 may be omitted altogether along with the transverse groove 21 through the body member 15 in which the section 24 reciprocates. in the latter modification the side members 25, 26' having the cam surfaces 28, 29 thereon are joined only by the end member 27' which may be formed integrally with the side members 25' (see Figure 9). Where the body section 24 is omitted as above described the stop groove 22 is of course formed in either of the guide grooves 19, 20 and the retaining means 31 is disposed on one of the side members 25', 26' so as to co-act with the stop groove in the side groove.

Others may readily adapt the invention for use under various conditions of service, by employing one or more of the novel features disclosed or equivalents thereof. As at present advised with respect to the apparent scope of my invention, I desire to claim the following subject matter.

I claim:

1. A detachable clamping device seeurablc to a flexible tubing and hollow needle assembly which comprises a body member having a longitudinal depression in one side thereof extending the entire length of said body member for receiving a length of flexible tubing associated with said needle, said depression having at one end a needle hub receiving chamber, a tranverse passage within said body member in communication with said needle hub receiving chamber, and clamping means longitudinally slidably mounted in said passage engageable with the hub of a needle positioned within said hub receiving chamber for detachably securing the said needle within the said clamping device.

2. A detachable clamping device for a flexible tubing and hollow needle assembly which comprises a body member having a passage therein for receiving a length of flexible tubing, said passage having at one end thereof a needle hub receiving chamber, a second passage within said body member communicating with the first mentioned passage, and clamping means mounted in the said second passage engageable with a flexible tubing and needle hub assembly positioned within the said first mentioned passage, whereby the flow of fluid through said tubing may be controlled and the needle detachably secured to the said body member.

3. A detachable clamping device for a flexible tubing and hollow needle assembly which comprises a body member having a passage therein for receiving a length of flexible tubing, said passage having at one end thereof a needle hub receiving chamber, a second passage within said body member communicating with the first mentioned passage, and tubing and needle clamping means mounted in the said second passage, said means having cam surfaces which are engageable with a flexible tubing and needle hub positioned within the said first mentioned passage for controlling the flow of fluid through said tubing and detachably securing the said needle to the said body member.

4. A detachable clamping device for a flexible tubing and hollow needle assembly which comprises a body member having sides which define a longitudinal passage therein for accommodating a length of flexible tubing, said passage having a needle hub receiving chamber at one end thereof, a second passage extending transversely through said body member substantially at right angles to said longitudinal passage and in communication with said longitudinal passage, clamping means slidably mounted in said second passage having cam surfaces which are engageable with a flexible tubing and the needle hub positioned within said longitudinal passage for controlling the flow of fluid through said tubing and detachably securing the said needle to the said body member.

5. A detachable clamping device for a flexible tubing and hollow needle assembly which comprises a body member having a longitudinal passage therein, said passage capable of accommodating a length of flexible tubing and having at one end thereof a needle hub receiving chamber, at least one transverse passage through said body member adjacent the said end of the body member substantially at right angles to the longitudinal passage and in communication with the said longitudinal passage,

and clamping means slidably mounted in the said transverse passages having cam surfaces thereon which are engageable with a flexible tubing and the needle hub assembly positioned within the said body member for controlling the flow of fluid through the said tubing and detachably securing the said needle to the said body 1 member 6. A detachable clamping device for a flexible tubing and hollow needle assembly which comprises an elongated body member having a longitudinal depression along one side thereof for receiving a length of flexible tubing, said depression extending inwardly to about the axis of the body member and having one end enlarged to form a needle hub receiving chamber, a generally U-shaped passage adjacent the said end extending substantially at right angles to the said longitudinal de pression which communicates with the said depression and needle hub receiving chamber, clamping means slidably mounted in the U-shaped passage having spaced cam surfaces, one of said cam surfaces extending into the said depression above the hub receiving chamber and the other of said cam surfaces extending into the said hub receiving chamber and engageable with a flexible tubing and needle hub positioned within said body member respectively for controlling the flow of fluid through the flexible tubing and detachably securing the needle to the said body member.

7. A detachable clamping device for a flexible tubing and hollow needle assembly which comprises an elongated body member having a longitudinal depression along one side thereof for receiving a length of flexible tubing, said depression extending inwardly to about the axis of the body member and having one end thereof enlarged to form a needle hub receiving chamber, a transverse passage adjacent the said end of the body member extending substantially at right angles to the said longitudinal depression and in communication with the said depression, clamping means slidably mounted in the said passage having a cam surface capable of extending into the said hub receiving chamber and engageable with a needle hub positioned within the said needle hub receiving chamber to detachably secure the needle assembly to the body member.

8. A detachable clamping device for a flexible tubing and hollow needle assembly which comprises a body member having a longitudinal passage therein, said passage capable of accommodating a length of flexible tubing and having at one end thereof a needle hub receiving chamber, at least one transverse passage extending through said body member adjacent the said end of the body member and substantially at right angles to the said longitudinal passage and which communicates with the said longitudinal passage, and clamping means slidably mounted in the said transverse passage having a cam surface thereon which is capable of engaging a needle hub positioned within the said body member to detachably secure the needle assembly to the body member.

9. In a needle assembly clamping device having a body member with a needle hub receiving chamber therein, the improvement which comprises a passage in said body member which is substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the said needle hub receiving chamber and which is in communication with the said chamber, and clamping means longitudinally slidably mounted in the said passage which is capable of engaging a needle hub disposed in said needle hub receiving chamber to detachably secure the said needle assmbly to the said body member, and a transverse groove extending partially through said body member adapted to receive a retaining means associated with said clamping means, whereby the said clamp can be slidably moved out of said hub receiving chamber without becoming disengaged from said body member.

10. A detachable clamping device for a flexible tubing and hollow needle assembly which comprises an elongated body member having a longitudinal depression in one side thereof for receiving a length of flexible tubing, said depression extending inwardly to about the axis of the said body and having one end thereof enlarged to form a needle hub receiving chamber, a transverse passage in said body member substantially at right angles to the said longitudinal depression and in communication with said depression, and clamping means slidably mounted in the said passage having a cam surface capable of extending into the said depression and being engageable with a length of flexible tubing disposed within the said depression to control the flow of fluid through the said flexible tubing.

11. A clamping device securable to a flexible tubing and hollow needle assembly which comprises a body member having a longitudinal depression in one side thereof for receiving a length of flexible tubing, said depression having one end thereof enlarged to form a needle hub receiving chamber, passage within the said body member communicating with the said longitudinal depression, and clamping means slidably mounted in the said passage having a cam surface thereon engageable,

with a length of flexible tubing positioned within said passage to control the flow of fluid through the said hollow needle assembly.

12. A clamping device comprising a body member having a longitudinal depression in one side thereof for receiving a length of flexible tubing, a transverse passage in said body member which is substantially at right angles to the said longitudinal depression in the body member and which is in communication with said depression, and clamping means longitudinally slidably mounted in the said passage which is capable of extending into the said depression and compressing a flexible tubing disposed within the said depression to control the flow of fluid through the said flexible tubing, and a transverse groove extending partially through said body member adapted to receive a retaining means associated with said clamping means, whereby the said clamp can be slidably moved out of said tube receiving chamber without becoming disengaged from said body member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 517,180 Wilson Mar. 27, 1894 1,006,895 Albree Oct. 24, 1911 2,092,401 Miller Sept. 7, 1937 2,147,616 Chaput Feb. 14, 1939 2,643,848 Hotfmann June 30, 1953 

